AN APPROACH TO CONTROLLING GOLDEN EAGLE PREDATION ON LAMBS IN SOUTH DAKOTA

Authors

Blair C. Watte, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department, P.O. Box 268, Custer, South Dakota 57730
Robert L. Phillips, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control, Denver Wildlife Research Center, P.O. Box 25266, Denver, Colorado

Date of this Version

February 1994

Abstract

A case of severe golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) predation on domestic sheep was documented on seven South Dakota ranches during the spring of 1993. One hundred forty-two lambs and one ewe were verified as being killed by eagles during a six-week period. In an effort to resolve the depredation problem, padded leghold traps were used to capture 21 golden eagles in or near the lambing pastures. The captured eagles were translocated and released approximately 322 km northeast of the capture area. Predation on lambs ceased following the relocation effort.